Space Chronicles (Part 2)

Japanese astronaut Aki Hoshide took this self-portrait outside the ISS.
Photo Credit: NASA

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About This Episode

In Part 2 of Space Chronicles, Neil and Prof. John Logsdon discuss NASA’s transition from the Cold War to the present day, and the impact of politics, economics, competition and fear on the space program. They disagree about the impact of China’s space ambitions on President Bush’s 2004 Vision for Space, and grapple with issues like the commercialization of space and NASA’s budget. Find out why we invited the Russians to the International Space Station in the first place, how the ISS is divided between the US, Russia, the EU and Japan, whether zero-g experiments justify its $3 billion per year price tag, and what the future holds. Plus, what Neil really thinks of President Obama’s “Sputnik Moment” speech, and Chuck Nice’s explanation of the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.